The New Orleans Saints may still be in the middle of a rebuild, but the temperature is starting to rise a little for 2026.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon sees a team that should not be treated like a finished product just yet, even after New Orleans closed 2025 on a strong note and stirred up plenty of offseason optimism. In his view, the Saints are still working their way through the process, and that means fans do not need to swing between big expectations and full-blown panic.
His read on the situation is rooted in patience, especially with Tyler Shough still developing. Gagnon believes the young quarterback has time to grow, and he thinks the Saints are moving in the right direction overall.
As he put it: “Tyler Shough has some room to develop in less than perfectly linear fashion. The Saints remain in the tunnel but the light is there and there’s little reason to panic right now.”
That does not mean the pressure disappears, though. New Orleans has added proven pieces this offseason, including Travis Etienne and Kaden Elliss, which gives the roster more experience and more talent than it had a year ago. Those moves make it harder to shrug off another step backward as just part of the rebuild.
There is also more reason to expect actual progress from the offense. Shough has another year under his belt, Chris Olave remains a proven playmaker, and the Saints have surrounded their young quarterback with more help than before.
That combination changes the conversation. At this point, improvement should be visible, not just promised.
And then there is the NFC South, which opens the door even wider. With the division looking wide open, New Orleans has a real chance to stay in the playoff hunt if it can find consistency across the season.
So while the Saints may not be expected to jump straight into Super Bowl territory, the added veteran talent, the young quarterback’s growth, and the state of the division all create a clearer expectation for 2026. Patience still matters, but so does urgency. Gagnon may not see a reason to panic, yet the Saints are at the point where simply treading water won’t feel like enough.
In Other News...
Taysom Hills Saints Exit Leaves One Big Question Unanswered
Taysom Hills run in New Orleans has come to an end after nine seasons, closing a stretch that made him one of the leagues most unusual and useful offensive pieces. The Saints used Hill everywhere from quarterback to runner to receiver, and his versatility became part of the identity of the team during his time in the building.
The part that remains unresolved is what comes next. Hill has not signed with another team, and there has been no official retirement announcement, leaving his NFL future open while questions linger about age and whether his one-of-a-kind style still fits for another roster. For now, his departure leaves the Saints with a familiar face gone and a notable void still not fully explained. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Rookie Receiver Depth Is Suddenly Facing A Real Early Test
Jordyn Tysons hamstring injury has turned what looked like a promising rookie receiving group into an immediate depth test for the Saints. The first-round pick is expected to miss at least the first four weeks of the season, and potentially longer, which leaves a thin room for error at a position where New Orleans already has only four wide receivers on the active roster.
That puts more pressure on rookie receivers Barion Brown and Bryce Lance, both of whom are likely to be asked to help sooner than planned despite having no NFL game experience. If Tysons absence stretches beyond the minimum injured reserve window, the Saints may need to tap the practice squad to keep the position stocked, which is not exactly the start anyone envisioned for a room that was supposed to be deeper by now. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Just Addressed A Roster Concern Fans Couldn't Ignore
The Saints made a quiet but telling roster move by adding Decamerion Richardson, a addition that helps shore up a spot fans had been watching closely. With Isaac Yiadom gone, New Orleans was working with just three active outside cornerbacks, and the top trio of Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quincy Riley and Martin Emerson needed more support behind them.
Richardson brings the kind of profile the Saints were looking for in that spot, with size, athleticism and special teams experience all working in his favor. It also matters because the other depth options, Mike Reid and Jayden Price, have been used more in different roles, which left the cornerback room looking thinner than ideal as the team tried to get through the rest of the roster build. [Read more 🡒]